﻿Devarim: The Book that Moses Wrote

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This week:
Bechukotai

MipiAtzmo

Already from its opening sentence, we see that the final book of
the Pentateuch is different from the first four. Instead of the usual
introductory statement, “God spoke to Moses, saying,” we read:

“These are the words that Moses spoke to all of Israel on the far
side of the Jordan River ...” (Deut. 1:1)

Unlike the other four books, Deuteronomy is largely a record of
speeches that Moses delivered to the people before his death. The
Talmud (Megillah 31b) confirms that the prophetic nature of this
book is qualitatively different than the others. While the other
books of the Torah are a direct transmission of God’s word, Moses
said Deuteronomy mipiatzmo — “on his own.”

However, we cannot take this statement — that Deuteronomy consists
of Moses’ own words — at face value. Moses could not have literally
composed this book on his own, for the Sages taught that a prophet
is not allowed to say in God’s name what he did not hear from God
(Shabbat 104a). So what does it mean that Moses wrote
Deuteronomy mipiatzmo? In what way does this book differ from the previous
four books of the Pentateuch?

Tadir versus Mekudash

The distinction between different levels of prophecy may be
clarified by examining a Talmudic discussion in Zevachim 90b. The
Talmud asks the following question: if we have before us two
activities, one of which is holier (mekudash), but the second is
more prevalent (tadir), which one should we perform first? The
Sages concluded that the more prevalent activity takes precedence
over the holier one, and should be discharged first.

One might infer from this ruling that the quality of prevalence is
more important, and for this reason the more common activity is
performed first. In fact, the exact opposite is true. If something
is rare, this indicates that it belongs to a very high level of
holiness — so high, in fact, that our limited world does not merit
benefiting from this exceptional holiness on a permanent basis. Why
then does the more common event take precedence? This is in
recognition that we live in an imperfect world. We are naturally
more receptive to and influenced by a lesser, more sustainable
sanctity. In the future, however, the higher, transitory holiness
will come first.

The First and Second Luchot

This distinction between mekudash and tadir illustrates the
difference between the first and second set of luchot (tablets)
that Moses brought down from Mount Sinai. The first tablets were
holier, a reflection of the singular unity of the Jewish people at
that point in history. As the Midrash comments on Exodus 19:2, “The
people encamped — as one person, with one heart — opposite the
mountain” (Mechilta; Rashi ad loc).

After the sin of the Golden Calf, however, the Jewish people no
longer deserved the special holiness of the first tablets.
Tragically, the first luchot had to be broken; otherwise, the
Jewish people would have warranted destruction. With the holy
tablets shattered, the special unity of Israel also departed. This
unity was later partially restored with the second covenant that
they accepted upon themselves while encamped across the Jordan
River on the plains of Moab. (The Hebrew name for this location,
Arvot Moav, comes from the word 'arvut,' meaning mutual
responsibility.)

The exceptional holiness of the first tablets, and the special
unity of the people at Mount Sinai, were simply too holy to
maintain over time. They were replaced by less holy but more
attainable substitutes — the second set of tablets, and the
covenant at Arvot Moav.

Moses and the Other Prophets

After the sin of the Golden Calf, God offered to rebuild the Jewish
people solely from Moses. Moses was unsullied by the sin of the
Golden Calf; he still belonged to the transient realm of elevated
holiness. Nonetheless, Moses rejected God’s offer. He decided to
include himself within the constant holiness of Israel. This is the
meaning of the Talmudic statement that Moses wrote Deuteronomy “on
his own.” On his own accord, Moses decided to join the spiritual
level of the Jewish people, and help prepare the people for the
more sustainable holiness through the renewed covenant of Arvot
Moav.

Moses consciously limited the prophetic level of Deuteronomy so
that it would correspond to that of other prophets. He withdrew
from his unique prophetic status, a state where “No other prophet arose in
Israel like Moses” (Deut. 34:10). With the book of Deuteronomy, he
initiated the lower but more constant form of prophecy that would
suit future generations. He led the way for the other prophets, and
foretold that “God will establish for you a prophet from your
midst like me” (Deut. 18:15).

In the future, however, the first set of tablets, which now appear
to be broken, will be restored. The Jewish people will be ready
for a higher, loftier holiness, and the mekudash will take
precedent over the tadir. For this reason, the Holy Ark held both
sets of tablets; each set was kept for its appropriate time.